Key players out for Cavs’ prime-time game against the Celtics

It pours when it rains, particularly if you’re the Cleveland Cavaliers. Following the announcement that Donovan Mitchell will miss three games due to a bothersome knee ailment, other players will be ineligible for the Cavaliers’ game against the Boston Celtics, who are leading the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland was anticipated to be without Tristan Thompson (suspension), Isaiah Mobley (NBA G League assignment), Ty Jerome (ankle), Max Strus (knee), and Mitchell (knee) going into the game.

Cavs are limping into the Celtics game.

Given that Mobley is not a regular component of Cleveland’s rotation, his absence from the team is not surprising. He must make the most of their on-court practice opportunities with the Cavaliers’ NBA G League franchise, the Cleveland Charge.

With little indication of a comeback, Jerome underwent surgery in late January to address a bothersome ankle issue, while Thompson is presently serving game 20 of a 25-game suspension following a positive performance-enhancing drug test. Hence, Cleveland’s quest to reclaim its seasoned big man is almost over.

In addition to the Mitchell news, Max Strus’s right knee pain that would keep him out of the Cavaliers’ game against the Celtics was another unexpected development. Strus most likely sustained the injury following a rough collision with Isaiah Hartenstein, a big player with the New York Knicks. However, Cleveland loses a strong three-point shooting threat in Strus, and the Cavaliers must hope that the knee issue won’t keep him out of the lineup for too long.

Boston will put a strain on Cleveland’s depth, with Sam Merrill, a sharpshooter, probably starting in Strus’s place. Whatever the case, Strus’ next opportunity to play will be on Wednesday in Atlanta, where the Cavaliers play the second leg of a back-to-back.

The availability of Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro (elbow) for the Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference game against New York is another major concern.

LeVert’s absence could cause problems for the Cavaliers. LeVert is Cleveland’s best ball handler and scoring threat off the bench, as well as their legitimate sixth man. LeVert can play with or in instead of anybody the Cavaliers want at point guard, which is a luxury. Cleveland is far less competitive without LeVert, especially because Mitchell is also out of the picture.

The worse blow is losing Okoro, who was clutching at his left elbow following multiple hard falls during the Cavaliers’ home defeat to the Knicks. Similar to LeVert, Okoro’s status will probably be determined at the start of the game. Should he be forced to sit, it might free up playing time for players like Merrill, Dean Wade, Emoni Bates, and Georges Niang.

This game against the Celtics is a do-or-die situation for the Cavaliers, who need to find their rhythm following a discouraging loss to the Knicks. The Milwaukee Bucks lead Cleveland in the standings, and a defeat to Boston would only tighten the situation in the fiercely competitive Eastern Conference in addition to dealing a serious morale blow to the struggling Cavaliers.